Superhero
by Autunno
Summary: Superheroes weren't uncommon. At least, not anymore. *Cancel the Completion, I have more incoming*


Superheroes weren't uncommon. At least, not anymore. With the changes of the season and each orbit of the sun, more and more superheroes appeared, followed by more and more villains.

One particular group of good-doers called The King's Court were a famous bunch for their unique usage of magic. They weren't local to a particular place in Japan and many spotted them across the nation. Even outside, but the media made a distinction between those of The King's Court and those of other groups such as Edna and U.A.

Their leader, The Red King or simply King, appeared fearless and powerful in battle and considered the leader of The Court. His right hand man dubbed The (Blue) General ranked second to The King in terms of prowess. Some debated whether The General could be called The King's equal.

People speculated where they came from. They had unique features such as elven ears, unusual hair and eye colors, and tall physiques. Even one of their younger members, The Apprentice, had these characteristics though he lacked the height of the others. None of them even bothered with masks.

The only real theory stemmed from an anonymous user online that suggested their differences came from their usage of magic. Members of Edna also possessed the same characteristics, though their territory mainly expanded over China. Their lack of masks would prove futile because of this and rather than mingle with a society that may have been unkind to these differences, they've learned to keep their heads down low or simply adopt the full-time job of being a superhero.

* * *

Yumemi didn't mean to stay out so late, but she needed to get her project done if she planned to graduate on time. However, the last thing she expected to find when she turned the corner of her usual route home was several figures blocking the path. She would have been concerned, even frightened, except with their hoods down, their faces were exposed.

The ears were the first clue that they were magicians.

At her surprised gasp, they turned. Their capes flung back to free their arms and hands for battle, feet jumping to position, and fists at the ready. They quickly relaxed at the sight of her high school uniform and arms filled with books that would be unable to do any real harm.

"Sorry," Yumemi squeaked out her apology and made a quick bow before she hurtled herself across the street.

"Wait." One cut her off, feet floating above the ground before gently touching the pavement. Toes first, then the heel slowly descended into a graceful stop before her.

She recognized the large man as The Healer. He stood well above her in height with broad shoulders she could probably sit on like a chair. His stance suggested a pridefulness about him, but his eyes softened at the sight of her and a small, reassuring smile made its way to his face.

Holding her books tightly, she peered up at him and spoke softly, "I was just heading home…"

"It's pretty late, isn't it?" One of the Healer's companions stopped by her side, a frown wrinkling his forehead.

Yumemi's heart beat fast at the sight of blue hair. A familiar sight on the TV.

The General. The right hand man to the King.

The one Yumemi swore up and down Ichiko crushed on.

"Oh… well, yes, but-"

"Rui. Shuza. Go on ahead." The voice came from behind and at how quickly the other two bowed before complying told her all she needed to know.

"It's really okay…" Despite her protest, the Red King gently prodded her books from her grip and tucked them under one arm before offering her the other.

Yumemi tentatively placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, stifling a giggle. He really did act kingly.

"What's your name?" They began their walk with the King leading them down the road.

"Yumemi." A dust of pink spread across her cheeks as he tested the name on his tongue.

"While a pleasure to meet you, Yumemi, it _is_ late." His light scold irked her.

"I believe I can manage." Her voice beguiled her words with its soft tone and distinctly unconfident manner.

"Of that, I have no doubt." Insulted, she halted and ripped her hand from his arm. "Yumemi?" His surprise only further riled her.

"Don't mock me." She just had enough of that from school. Hero or not, she wouldn't take it from him.

The King pondered for a moment. Finding that while her words held a subdued undertone to them and she lacked the confidence to voice herself at a more appropriate level, her actions held no such thing.

Stiff from his unfamiliar, yet famous presence, he was sure, her body movement proved to be quite fierce and moved without delay. The minute his words registered, which took no more than half a second, her feet stopped and with how her hand moved, if she hit him, it would hurt.

"I wasn't jesting, Yumemi." The hero took her hand and placed a charming kiss to her knuckles. "I apologize for the offense."

Embarrassed, Yumemi resisted the urge to puff out her cheeks and stomp her foot. She was not a child.

But who used the word 'jest' anymore?!

"Apology accepted." Yumemi let him lead her hand back to his arm.

He could feel it in her movements as they renewed their walk, that she held his arm not because he placed it there but because she completely allowed it to happen. He mistook her awkwardness for a lack of confidence and quickly adjusted himself to not make that mistake again. She just might hurt him next time.

Her strides kept easily with his own, despite their height differences, and he detected no exhaustion from the strain to keep pace. She didn't _really _look at him, even when insulted, but rather gazed around their surroundings. She never once let her head droop and kept her chin held high. It sent an effective message.

She controlled the situation. And he gladly let her.

They walked in silence until they were at her home. The rest of her family casually inside wasting the evening away.

"Have a good night, Yumemi." The Red King planted a chaste kiss to her cheek, watching as her face exploded in a color that rivaled his hair.

"You too." She retrieved her books rather forcefully from his arm and fled up the stairs and into her home.

The hero waited for the door to close behind her before lifting from the ground and turning to head off.

"Her eyes were a lovely green, don't you think, Shuza?" The first words out of Rui's mouth came as soon as the King landed beside him.

While Shuza didn't bother with a response, their leader did, "shut up."

"Oh! Lord Munto, welcome back. Was your walk pleasant?" Munto ignored the question as he surveyed the scene before him.

"Rui, let's go." At the command, the General's mirth vanished and a stoic indifference replaced it. One everyone with a TV knew.

* * *

Yumemi didn't tell a soul about the encounter. For one, it would lead to annoying pestering and possibly more teasing. Secondly, her classmates might not believe her. Which would result in said teasing.

She already got enough of that from her obvious different characteristics. Over the years, her hair lightened more and more from its dark coloring to that of a rich blonde by second grade. The other kids already thought her eyes strange considering her family didn't have them, but when her hair changed…

Nowadays, the teasing focused on her spaciness and tendency to daydream. Every time the teacher called her out on it, at least one person snickered. Teachers that gave assigned seating made sure she was placed upfront and on the other side of the room. It didn't really help.

Yumemi relaxed in her local library, seated naturally by the window and watched as the light faded from the sky and storm clouds rolled over the town. Her notes and books were laid out in front of her - not that they ever could hold her attention for long.

A vibration against the table sent her jumping in her seat. Her phone. The usual text from her mom assuring her of the time and not to be late for dinner.

She'd be out late again.

And caught in the rain without her favorite umbrella.

Unlike the other's caught without protection, Yumemi walked, not caring that the rain seeped into her clothes and chilled her to the bone. She'd get wet either way.

Yumemi slowed her walk to a complete stop at the small sight of a weed pushing up from the cracks. Its little flower petals were a glossy yellow with a small, green, round nub in the center. The sight brought a smile to her face.

"Yumemi?" She perked up at the voice.

The rain stopped hitting her and she looked up to find an invisible barrier directing the water away.

"Yumemi?" Again, he called to her, a bit concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Red King?" He chuckled at her surprise, happy to finally received a response.

"Are you alright?" Despite having to repeat himself, he felt no impatience or annoyance. "You're soaked." He tsked before wrapping his cape around her shoulders.

"I forgot my umbrella." It was all she could think to say.

"I see that." Munto smiled her way and offered her a hand to stand.

She took it without much hesitation.

"No worries." He shrugged it off and nodded to the rooftops where several others stood. "Rain or otherwise won't bother you anymore."

"Oh… thank you." A blush rose to her cheeks as she caught his eye.

A smile hovered at the edges of his lips and his gold eyes were warm and bright. His hand brought hers to the crook of his elbow and his warmth spread to her.

"What caused you to stay out late this time?" His hand covered her own, warming her stiff and cold joints.

Together, they began to walk.

"Oh, I lost track of time." Yumemi kept her gaze firmly in front of her. Last time, she had been hyper-aware of his presence to the point she couldn't properly focus on him… now, she felt the firm muscle under the black fabric he wore.

This time, he donned a long sleeve black shirt with matching black pants with an unusual blue cape. The color red had been his trademark from the beginning. A vermillion or sangria, a darker red, mostly seen during his night debuts. A scarlet or crimson, a brighter red, often seen in the media due to his day time appearances. Either or, they were both red at the end of the day, but try telling that to some of Yumemi's classmates and what may start well won't end well.

Munto chose to stay silent, obvious to the ears surrounding them, but he noted her sudden flustered-ness.

As they neared her home, Yumemi crawled to a stop and detached herself from his arm. Before she could even thank him, one of his comrades jumped down to greet her, followed closely by the General. She could feel the King stiffen beside her.

"Yumemi-hime-"

"-hime?!"

"-should you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask anyone of us." He bowed politely to her and she squeaked in surprise at the formality.

Her eye did manage to catch the smirk on the blue-haired magician's face and how he looked to the King with laughter in his eyes. She chose not to steal a glance at the man beside her and quickly thanked them before dashing inside.

Munto's cape hanging off her shoulders.

"Marty…"

"Oh, he was only being _friendly_, Lord Munto." Rui grinned at the irritation on his friend's face.

"We need to return home. We have much to discuss and this is no place for it." Munto lifted from the ground, his companions following.

Once inside, Yumemi quickly told her lie, letting it bitterly roll off her tongue in all its vague glory. She casually brushed aside her younger brother's pestering of the stranger who walked her home. Her parents accepted the story, grateful she arrived home safely, even if soaked to the bone.

For the next few weeks, her thoughts were occupied between the Red King and his comrades and the school work that never stopped coming. They hadn't crossed paths again, mostly because Yumemi made a conscious effort to return home long before dark. Ichiko definitely appreciated that no longer scowling at her at the end of school for heading to the library alone rather than straight home.

Yumemi washed the cape and folded it neatly by her window sill. She expected to wake one morning and find it absent. However, it remained each day and night.

Tonight, she _really _hadn't meant to stay out late, but the train she needed was delayed last minute. She prayed for only cloudy skies and no rain, but it _poured _the minute her train left and continued to do so even after she got to her station.

She didn't want to get soaked again and anyone could be out there in the dark this time of night and the equally frightening possibility of running across a known villain made her head spin and she had no intentions of getting hurt when the possibility of getting help or someone finding her body until morning were impossibly high and -

A baby's cry snapped her from her thoughts. People crowded the station, many soaked to the bone. These parts of the town contained a lot more foot traffic than her usual route home.

Sighing, Yumemi secured her belongings in her bag and headed out. Dinner waited for her at home to satisfy her stomach's needs. She didn't get sick last time, so she figured her luck wouldn't run out just yet.

And perhaps, she'd meet a certain redhead.

As Yumemi headed down the sidewalk, finding overhangs to pass under, no hero came. No, rather the paranoid feeling of being watched followed her. She looked around, but very few were out in the storm.

"Hello?" No one answered.

Yumemi finally arrived home. Completely soaked. She decided to never be out late again. The fear gave her a headache, the storm chilled her to her core.

Worse, the very next day her nose began to run and she was left with tissues falling out of every pocket she had.

"I'm okay." She smiled in her friends' direction. "Just tired and a bit sick."

"Feel better!" Suzume waved cheerfully her way before heading home, followed closely by Ichiko who kept the girl from tripping over her own feet.

"Get some rest!" Ichiko gave her blonde friend a pointed stare.

Yumemi nodded, her friends' concern making her smile. She didn't intend to stop anywhere. Just straight home and to bed.

Students from other schools loitered on the sidewalks, grabbing snacks and hanging out. Those getting off work early or walking their small children home also were out and about.

With the sun high in the sky, Yumemi didn't feel so paranoid. Her feelings of being watched vanished, but the feeling of a scratchy throat and utter exhaustion only begun their stay. She'd need some cold medicine and tea when she got home.

Her mother gladly made her some with snacks and sent her on to her room. Dinner would still be another hour or two.

Chikara sat at the kitchen table, already working on his homework. Instead of joining him, she made her way to the stairs and up to her room as her mother insisted. She unpacked her school bag and took a small sip of her tea.

Yumemi managed to get a good amount of work done before dinner. She finished her tea and snacks as well which pleased her mom.

Dinner remained mostly uneventful for her. Chikara talked a lot about his school day but Yumemi waved questions of her day away.

"She's coming down with something." Her mother brushed her hair back and sent a worried glance to her father. "Why don't you go rest? You look tired, honey."

She wished them all a good night and headed up to take a warm bath before bed. It would help with her sinuses.

The blue cape remained. Even when she woke the next morning, it hadn't moved an inch.

Disappointment welled inside her but she brushed it aside and smoothed out any wrinkles from the fabric.

While she tried to keep it brushed aside, Yumemi still felt it welling in the pit of her stomach. Not that it stayed for very long as that very night, light tapping on her window woke her.

Her family had gone to bed hours ago, but it's not like they'd tap on her window for attention. They could knock on her bedroom door.

Yumemi rolled over to find a familiar figure floating just outside. She panicked, sitting straight up with her mouth gaping wide.

Munto chuckled at her surprise, motioning her to open the window so they could speak.

"Red King?!" She whisper-yelled at him, voice hoarse.

"Lord Munto would be better." He gave her a charming smile before settling down on her window sill, feet hanging off the edge while he leaned against the frame.

"_Munto_, what are you doing here?" His eye twitched at the obvious dismissal of his title but if she noticed, she made no comment.

"Coming to see how you're doing. I assume you got caught in the rain again?" Her cheeks flushed, answering his question before she did.

"Yes…" Her body shivered despite her long-sleeve sleepwear and the thick comforter at her waist.

On instinct, Munto unclipped his cape and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I apologize for letting the chill in." Still, he made no movement to enter her room or close the window. "I haven't seen you out and about late into the night."

"Well… Oh!" A small formed on her face as she snapped her head up to look him in the eye. "I have your cape. Washed and everything."

Munto leaned forward, legs stretching out as he did his best not to fall, and grabbed her elbow with merely his thumb, pointer, and middle fingers. It stopped her quiet effectively and her hands fell into her lap.

"You may keep them." A teasing smirk hovered on the edge of his lips.

Just as quickly as he came, he pulled away and shut the window. Yumemi was about to turn and return to sleep, but he quickly rapped his knuckles against the glass to get her attention one last time. He pointed to the latch, giving her a disapproving stare at her forgetfulness.

Yumemi locked the window and waved at him. He returned the gesture with a simple nod of his head before he floated off into the night and out of her view.

She slid out of bed, taking the cape and draping it over the back of her chair. The blue cape sat on her desk, having been moved earlier when cleaning. The red one would have to be cleaned and then, she'd set it next to the first one she received.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**One girl on a single quest to collect them all… All the capes. **


End file.
